BUILDING SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE

Dennis Butler, SPHRVP, Workplace SolutionsLiz Claiborne Inc.

Domestic violence is abusive or coercive behavior between two people in an intimate relationship.

What is Domestic Violence?

Domestic Violence In the Workplace

Intimate partner’s behavior that interferes with employee’s ability to safely/securely perform duties at work.

Liz Claiborne’s Involvement With DV

• Focus on DV began in 1991

• Awareness oriented

• Love Is Not Abuse

• Launch of DV in the workplace program (2002)

Liz Claiborne’s Workplace Program

• DV policy in place since early 1990s.

• Significantly upgraded the program in 2002:• Revised our DV in the workplace policy.• Established protocol for HR, Legal and Corporate

Security for how to handle cases• Established a Domestic Violence Response Team

(DVRT).• Trained HR, Security, Managers and Employees.

What Is An Employer’s Role?

• Recognize – the signs.• Respond – appropriately within the context of the

workplace.• Refer – to the professionals who can assist the

employee.

What Is An EAP’s Role?• Expertise – Be sure EAP Counselors have specific expertise in recognizing and responding to DV as a workplace issue and as a co-issue for other cases.

• Advice – Provide advice to employers about the appropriate response to DV within the context of the workplace, including performance management.

• Provide resources and training – to employers for their DV in the workplace programs.

Respond - Critical Events and Opportunities

Critical Events• Visible warning signs and risk factors

• Should raise possibility of danger

Opportunities• A chance to intervene • Can be missed because of uncertainty or missing information

Critical Events/Missed Opportunities DuPont Inquest

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12

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3237

1 2 4 58 10

22

48

65

76

84

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Critical Event

Opportunity

• Unusual absence or lateness for work.• Sudden or sustained drop in productivity.• Unusual signs of anxiety or fear.• Frequent, upsetting phone calls, flowers, gifts at the

workplace.• Isolation, unusual quietness, keeping away from others.

Recognizing Domestic Violence – Victims

• Unexplained injuries or injuries that do not fit the explanations of how they occurred.

• Inappropriately dressed/excessive makeup. • Minimization and denial of harassment or injuries.• Sensitivity about home life or hints of trouble at

home.

Recognizing Domestic Violence – Victims

• Most abusers report being distracted and preoccupied at work.

• Some abusers make costly and dangerous mistakes on the job as a result.

• May seem perfectly “normal” to others.• Most abusers use company phones, e-mail and vehicles

to perpetrate domestic violence.

Recognizing Domestic Violence – Abusers

Step One: Organize a multi-disciplinary team to oversee the process.

• Human Resources• Legal• Security• Subject matter experts

• Your EAP• Local DV agency

Respond – Creating a Workplace Program

Respond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step Two: Develop a corporate policy on domestic violence.

Step Three: Provide training.• Response protocol• Multi-disciplinary Team (DVRT)• Managers• Employees

Respond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step Four: Build awareness through workplace communications.• Recognize, respond, refer• Posters• Brochures• Employee health fairs• Department meetings

Respond – Creating a Workplace Program

Step Five: Enlist employees’ help in ensuring the workplace is a violence-free zone.

Step Six: Broaden communications to include members of the community including stakeholders in your industry and other organizations.

Respond – Creating a Workplace Program

Key Points to Remember

• Integrate the program.– Partnering with your EAP– Integrating with performance management

• Focus on safety for victim and workplace.• Company representatives don’t act as counselors –

we are conduits to experts.

More Key Points…

• Knowing the right referrals is most effective.• Policies and protocols are only guidelines.• Environment must be open and comfortable.

Love is Not Abuse loveisnotabuse.com

Corporate Alliance to End Partner Violence www.caepv.org

Safe At Work Coalition www.safeatworkcoalition.org

Web Sites For More Information

BUILDING SOLUTIONS TO PREVENT DOMESTIC

VIOLENCE

QUESTION AND ANSWER

Dennis Butler, SPHRVP, Workplace SolutionsLiz Claiborne Inc.